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Saturday, April 28, 2007

Sandy set her World Record

..................I have just completed a world record...and I could not have done it withoutthe help of my coach and friend, Lisa. When I told her last year that I wasthinking of doing this she was supportive and encouraging..."You can do this!"she said. Lisa set up a plan for me and we forged ahead.The world record meant that I would attempt to run 6 DESERT ULTRAMARATHONS ina single calendar year. This would involved travelling to 6 differentcountries around the world, encountering different obstacles in each...sandstorms, freezing temperatures, heat, high altitude, salt flats, salt marshes,rocky terrain and dunes. I also struggled with various injuries from eachrace, and extreme reactions to certain medications I had to take to preventdisease.Here is my schedule...MAY...GOBI MARCH...GOBI DESERT, CHINA...150 MILES...4TH PLACE FOR WOMEN

MARCH...MARATHON DES SABLES, SAHARA DESERT, MOROCCO...150 MILES...18TH PLACEI completed the World Record in 10 months...and am currently working on thepaperwork to send in to Guiness to make it a Guiness World Record as well.I found the challenge difficult...mainly because of the stress between eachrace to come up with the funds to do this. There were some races that Ididn't even think I would be able to make because the funds for one inparticular did not come through until the weekend I left! The travel was alsostressful, because each trip involved its own challenges. There has beenmissing baggage, shots to get, visas to arrange, missing documents, and on oneoccasion I lost my wallet and had to cancel my credit card. At times itseemed that the races were easy compared to the difficulties in getting toeach one.Through it all, Lisa has stood by me, and counselled me. She and Jay wereboth particularly helpful when it came to going to the Marathon des Sables. They made my life much easier through that particularly stressful time. I waspretty much fed up by the time I got to Morocco. I had to go on anxietymedication just to try and control the stress.The Marathon des Sables for me was a particular joy this year. It was notonly my final race in the record attempt, but I had the most fun at this racein a long time. It was my eigth time doing this particular event, and I wasthinking it would be the last time I did it.But the Marathon des Sables organization outdid themselves this year. Theyhave truly raised the bar in desert racing. Anyone who has not done this raceyet has got to give it a try. Anyone who has done it before, should do itagain. You would be amazed at what a machine this has become.I badly sprained my ankle this year on the third day and could barely walk. Many people did not think I would be able to go on. But the doctors did anamazing job of taping up my ankle, and they also gave me some amazing drugs. I ran the last 130kms on that ankle, knowing I had to complete this race...soI ignored the long range implications of what I might be doing to my ankle.Keep in mind that I had done two other desert ultras the month before thisrace. I finished this race, on that ankle, with my best placing ever in thatrace...18th for women out of 104 women, and 260th overall out of 750. I justkeep thinking of what I might have been capable of had I not had the injury.When I set out to do this record, my only thought was to finish each event. But I placed extremely well in each one, except Libya, and had my best placingever at MDS. It shows what you can accomplish when you have a great coach. In the time that I have been working with Lisa...I have improved with each andevery race. If that is not an endorsement, I don't know what is. Of course,every person that works with Lisa knows this, but those of you reading thisthat do not have a coach, or are looking for a coach...I would stronglyrecommend that you talk to Lisa if you want to improve your performance.I am happy to be done, and have enjoyed my off time so far. I have somethingmajor in mind for next year...and am just awaiting word as to whether I canget the required permission. I will let you know.

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About Lisa

World-class endurance athlete and ultrarunner, Lisa Smith-Batchen has competed in countless races around the world. She is the only American to have won the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara. She has completed Badwater nine times, including a double crossing, and has won the race twice. Last summer, Lisa Smith-Batchen became the first person to run 50 miles in each of the 50 states to raise money for orphans. Co-owner and founder of the Dreamchasers Foundation, she and her husband Jay Batchen offer personalized training and camps to help other athletes achieve their goals. 100% of the proceeds go to the Dreamchasers Foundation and to Aids Orphans Rising. To make a donation click here: DONATIONS